Messi double puts Barça in control against Bayern

FC Barcelona are on the brink of reaching their eighth European Cup showpiece after finally breaking FC Bayern München's resistance in the last 13 minutes of this UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg, Lionel Messi scoring two goals before creating a late third for Neymar.

In a pulsating first half, Barcelona largely held the upper hand and Bayern had cause to be grateful to goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who saved one-on-ones with Luis Suárez and Daniel Alves to keep the score blank at the break. Robert Lewandowski had spurned an equally presentable opening for the visitors, yet just when it was starting to look like they would escape unscathed, Messi – making his 100th European appearance – eventually found a way through 13 minutes from time. Three minutes later his sublime control and delicate chip made it 2-0 before the No10's added-time pass released Neymar to roll in a third.

Josep Guardiola, making his first return to the Camp Nou in the opposition ranks, opted to play three at the back, marking man for man from the off. The policy nearly backfired as Suárez latched onto Messi's flick from Marc-André ter Stegen's kick and bore down on Neuer unchallenged – but the goalkeeper's outstretched right leg blocked his shot.

Moments later Suárez wriggled free inside the penalty area and found Neymar at the far post; Bayern's Rafinha deflected the effort behind and that was the cue for the Bundesliga champions to switch to a more familiar back four.

Guardiola had been able to call on Robert Lewandowski despite the forward suffering jaw and nose injuries the previous week and, though the Pole was anonymous early on, he took centre stage in the 18th minute only to fluff his lines. Thomas Müller won possession and his cross picked out the unmarked Lewandowski; the striker was unable to apply the finishing touch.

That scare aside, Barcelona – beaten 7-0 on aggregate by Bayern in their last UEFA Champions League semi-final in 2013 – seemed the more likely, Suárez nodding over from a corner. Six minutes before the interval Bayern were caught out again as Andrés Iniesta lifted a wonderful pass over their defence. Alves controlled on his chest; again Neuer blocked with his legs.

Bayern began the second period on the front foot yet it was the home side who continued to appear the more dangerous. Messi traded passes with Neymar to create space to shoot; Neuer was right behind it. The goalkeeper then watched Neymar's attempt sail over after Ivan Rakitić had fed the Brazilian.

Barcelona, and Messi, would not be denied, however. Alves did the legwork for the 77th-minute breakthrough, robbing Juan Bernat and finding Messi; the forward duly fired inside Neuer's near post. With Bayern rocking, the Blaugrana maestro capitalised again moments later, collecting Rakitić's pass and leaving Jérôme Boateng floundering before clipping over Neuer.

Bayern's hopes were hanging by a thread, and they all but disappeared in the closing seconds. Messi's ball sent Neymar clear of the visiting rearguard and this time Neuer had no answer as a composed finish left Barça with one foot in the final.

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Juventus 2-1 Real Madrid CF

Carlos Tévez's penalty gave Juventus the edge in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid CF after a gripping contest in Turin.

A vibrant start from the home side brought early reward as Álvaro Morata struck against the club he left last summer, but Madrid responded swiftly and levelled before the half-hour with Cristiano Ronaldo's ninth goal in this season's UEFA Champions League and 76th overall. Juve, however, regained the initiative through Tévez's spot kick early in the second half, earning them a slender but valuable lead to take to Spain next week.

Juventus, in their first semi-final since beating Madrid in 2002/03, began at pace and were in front before ten minutes had been played. Stefano Sturaro – making his first UEFA Champions League start – and Morata had already tested Iker Casillas before Claudio Marchisio played a pass into Tévez down the right channel. The Argentinian's low shot was only pushed out by Casillas and Morata could not miss.

Madrid's riposte was swift, Toni Kroos calling Gianluigi Buffon into action for the first time before Isco's pass offered Ronaldo the chance to stretch his legs; the shot was dragged across the face of goal. The next opportunity came Juve's way, as Stephan Lichtsteiner got the better of Marcelo down the right and advanced into the penalty area, but his hurried effort was slashed wide.

Three minutes later, the full impact of that miss was felt as Madrid equalised with a fine goal. With the ball bouncing into the home penalty box, James Rodríguez lifted a volleyed cross in for Ronaldo to nod past Buffon from close range.

The momentum had shifted and it was Madrid who should have scored the third goal of a thrilling first half. A slick passing move worked the ball from right to left, Isco breaking clear and centring for James. From two metres out and with the goal beckoning, the Colombian somehow headed against the crossbar; Marcelo's follow-up landed on the top of the net.

Although the second period began at a more considered pace than the first, it burst into life in the 56th minute as Juve counterattacked at speed. Morata slipped in a pass to Tévez, who burst into the area only to be felled by Dani Carvajal. The Argentinian picked himself up to slot the penalty past Casillas.

Madrid were unable to muster a second equaliser as Juventus preserved their one-goal cushion with some degree of comfort. Indeed, it was the newly-crowned Italian champions who came closest to another goal, first as Raphaël Varane failed to cut out a long ball and substitute Fernando Llorente rounded Casillas; Carvajal was there to pip Roberto Pereyra to his fellow replacement's cross.

Llorente passed up an even better opening in added time having been picked out in space by Andrea Pirlo's free-kick. His weak header was blocked by the goalkeeper, leaving the tie finely balanced.

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The Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) National Beach Games is on the drawing board.

Trinidad and Tobago's participation at the inaugural World Beach Games is the goal.

Last year the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committee (ANOC) approved a proposal for the first World Beach Games. 

Beach Volleyball will be one of the marquee sports at the World Beach Games.

This weekend's (8-10 May)  Rio 2016 Olympic Games Caribbean Zone Men's Beach Volleyball Qualifier to be hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation (TTVF) is not only important for the teams contesting for qualification for the Rio Olympics.

But its an opportunity for Trinidad and Tobago to showcase its ability to host a high profile Beach Volleyball event.

KFC, FLOW, Tourism Development Company(TDC) , Toyota, Sport Company, Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association(CAZOVA), North, Central American and Caribbean (NORCECA) and the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee are partnering with the T&T Volleyball Federation to bring Rio 2016 Men's Caribbean Zone Beach Volleyball Olympic Qualification to Trinidad and Tobago.

This weekend 8th-10th May, Saith Park Chaguanas will be converted into a beach volleyball festival as twenty-eight (28) teams from fourteen (14) Caribbean countries including host T&T, will battle to advance to the next round on the road to Rio 2016. Only six(6) of the 28 teams will advance to the next phase.

On the three days of competition, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the action gets going from 10:00 am. Aside from the high quality and keenly contested on the sand action, fan will have opportunities to win cash prizes as there will be a number of fan engagement activities. Also the national youth and Junior teams will stage a fund raising Bar-Bar Que Saturday 9th May at the venue.

A number of Foreign Official will be in TnT for the Olympic Qualifier. CAZAVO President Mushtaque Mohammed will represent as the NORCECA Delegate and Analdo Sanchez of Dominican Republic tournament Director.

The Participating teams are;

Aruba: Elmerlindo Robles De Medina, Dwayne Angela, Fransua Angela, Michaello Martilia

Barbados: Daran Gill, Sheldon Roach, Winston Gittens, Elwyn Oxley.

Bahamas: Renaldo Knowles, Mullet Petit, Princtanique Wilson, Byron Ferguson

Bonaire: Richison Frans, Farley Marcera, Percy Prudencia, Deebro Trinidad

Cayman Islands: Kirk Shervin Rankin, Richard Campbell, Olney Thompson, Phillippe Des Landes

Curacao: Derwin Colina, Quinten Anthony, Norandy Bonafasia, Kiran Ersilia

Guadeloupe: Arnouts Baptiste, Lavoye Cedric, Guillaume Coudevylle, Loic Couchy

Haiti: Senel Volvick Dupuy, Alexis Marco, Fritz-Emmanuel Mabou, Kempes Vilmot

Jamaica: Mark Lewis, Donovan Larry Richards, Ryck Mc Kenzie-Webb, Christopher Walters

Martinique: Lopes Jefferson, Lowinsky Edouard, Africa Freddy, Lienafa Derek

Suriname: Eurwin Daans, Roberto Joval, Keven Sporkslede, Furgil Ong A Fat

T&T: Fabien Whitfield, Daneil Williams, Tevin Joseph, Josiah Eccles

Turks & Caicos: Edner Cox, Darado Fulford, Jephte Moncher, Tanikko De Angels Clarke

USVI: Edward Peter Jr, Carlos Rosa, Gustavo Cintron, Bradley Riding-Connor

Whether or not it is human error, negligence or simply forgetfulness, something is wrong with the way women are treated.

But in this case I am referring to Women in Sports, not in other spheres of life, and in particular for the purpose of those who wish to read further, women in football in T&T.

The fact, that since December 2, 2014, our national women’s team has not played a single match to this day, is not only unforgivable, but a possible sign of disengagement by those in authority, who if not for this team would have been as unpopular as their predecessors. Because let me explain for the infinite time to all Sports Administrators in all spheres of this country, that people are interested in the sportsmen and sportswomen and not in them. If they remain silent and do their work efficiently, they will have achieved and one day be recognised.

In the case of the women, the T&T Football Association stated that since the young ladies lost that game in December to Ecuador 0-1, there are no countries interested in playing our national team anymore.

However, the women footballers are flatly denying that is true and instead believe that not enough effort was made by the TTFA to ensure that this could have occurred. It is difficult to believe that after such a successful run, that no team would be interested in playing this country ahead of the World Cup in Canada.

And if the TTFA were smart and given the apparent business success of the game in December, they would have found a way through connections to play a game in front of a still adoring crowd when the momentum was there for all to witness, instead to most, it appears as if they have turned their backs once again on women’s football.

We all know the problems the team experienced in 2014 and when you listen to the captain Maylee Attin-Johnson talk from the heart again about the fact, that officials basically at one time told her, that the emphasis has to be on men’s football, because that is the flag bearer, you can imagine the passion and drive in our women when they heard this male dominated TTFA state these words.

However the situation at the moment that again has the TTFA and women’s football at loggerheads involves the Pan American Championships in Canada, where a men’s team was named some 10 days ago and names rightfully submitted to the T&T Olympic Committee. However no team was announced or published or released to the media on a women’s team for the same event with the same deadlines.

On i95.5fm, I sports on Thursday, we spoke with Maylee Attin-Johnson, who says she knows that a team is going, but no team has been announced to her or any of the players and it was just in line with that knowledge that Attin Johnson and Akhela  Mollon decided to call some players to practices.

There is not even a coach as yet for the women’s team for these Championships, with apparently the TTFA in negotiations with Randy Waldrum. There is just too much uncertainly, and this breathes doubt and despair and can lead to more questions.

Why is there so much secrecy over the naming of a team , over the situation with a coach, it is this apparent unwillingness to be open and transparent that has affected the Football Association in the past and unless they fix this problem, quickly , they are heading down the same road.

As a follow up to all of this on Saturday on Isports, the President of the TTOC, Brian Lewis confirmed, that a team of ladies for the Pan American Championships had been received from the TTFA. So then, one is forced to question, why the need for all of this secrecy and this non-disclosure by the TTFA. Is it that Shaun Fuentes forgot to issue this information? Or was he told not to do so?

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After retaining his coveted sprint title along the Arima Velodrome track on night-two of the 2015 National Cycling Championships, Rigtech Sonics hitman Njisane Phillip doubled-up with another golden showing in the Elite Men Keirin event which sped off on Sunday night.

Lining up in the 1-6 final, Phillip faced off against long-time sprint rival Quincy Alexander (Team DPS) and his club-mates Jude Codrington and Justin Roberts, Kwesi Browne (Arima Wheelers) and Rigtech’s Keron Bramble.

Having ousted Alexander in the final of the Men’s Sprint one night prior, Phillip affirmed authority once more when he blasted to victory ahead of the bunch to capture the Keirin crown. Alexander was again forced to settle for the silver medal while youngster Browne held on to the bronze.

Rounding off the top six finishers were Codrington, Roberts and Bramble respectively. And in the 7-10 final, Nevin Malco (Bike Smith) was first and seventh overall while Jonathan Harding (PSL) was relegated.

The two remaining finalists, Azikiwe Kellar (PSL) and Thireef Smart (Petrotrin), did not start.

Meanwhile, Varun Maharajh (Rigtech Sonics) proved to be the most promising endurance rider for the twin-island republic as he pedalled to gold in the Elite Men Omnium, winning four of the six stages contested.

In the final event — Points Race — Maharajh lapped the field a mesmerising six times while Campbell trailed closely behind, lapping the bunch on five occasions.

Finishing in a highly credible runner-up position was senior National debutant Akil Campbell.

The 2014 Caribbean Junior Road and Time Trial champion placed second in four of the six events, with victories coming ahead of Maharajh in the Flying 250m and 1km Time Trial.

Placing third overall was Gavyn Nero (Team DPS) while Sheldon Ramjit (Hummingbird) was fourth.

Team DPS finished among the medals as Codrington saved his energy for the Elite Men Standing 250m, where he produced a new National record of 18.672 at a speed of 48.201km/h.

Holding on to runner-up position this time around was Harding and third placed Kellar.

In the women’s equivalent, in-form rider and Pan Am Junior double gold medallist Kollyn St George (Breakaway) bagged her second gold of the Championships in 21.210.

She beat to the line Arima Wheelers’ Aziza Browne and fellow Pan American Team Sprint gold medallist Keiana Lester, who were second and third respectively.

Lester would however take top honours in the Junior Women Keirin, ousting Teneil Campbell (Rigtech Sonics) and Dominique Lovell (Arima Wheelers) respectively.

Sei Daniel also copped his second title of the tourney when he rode to victory in the Junior Men Keirin.

On his journey to the top, Daniel successfully fended off runner-up David Orr (Bike Smith) and bronze receiver Akim Constantine.

The Elite Women edition of this event also saw Jodi Goodridge (Arima Wheelers) top the field ahead of eventual runner-up Aziza Browne and Cheyenne Awai, also of Arima, respectively.

The final leg of the 2015 National Cycling Championships rode off from 7pm last night with the Time Trial and Individual Pursuit events.

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World Rugby have announced the dates and locations of the rugby sevens regional Olympic qualification tournaments, which offer six men’s and women’s teams the chance to book their place at Rio 2016.

The sides who claim victory at the tournaments will join the top four men’s and women’s teams from the ongoing World Rugby Sevens Series, as well as Brazil, who qualify automatically as hosts, and the final places will be decided at a repechage tournament, due to take place before June 2016.

“This exciting announcement marks another significant milestone as the global rugby family counts down to rugby sevens’ Olympic Games debut at Rio 2016 when we will see rugby’s first Olympians in more than 92 years competing on sport’s greatest stage,” World Rugby chairman Bernard Lapasset said.

“With rugby sevens enjoying unprecedented global profile and growth and the men’s and women’s Sevens World Series set to go down to the wire in this, the most compelling of rugby sevens’ years, I am sure that the regional Olympic qualifiers will be extremely competitive, underscoring the tremendous depth of competition around the globe.”

The first tournament will be held in Santa Fe, Argentina from June 5 to 7 and will see both men’s and women’s teams battle it out for the South American spot at the Games.

The following weekend, the American town of Cary in North Carolina will play host to the North America and the Caribbean competition, which will also incorporate men and women.

Europe’s women compete in Brive, France, from June 20 to 21 while the men will descend on the English city of Exeter on July 11 and 12.

The African women’s qualifier takes place in Johannesburg from September 26 to 27, and the Asian men’s tournament in Hong Kong follows on November 7 and 8.

Oceanic men’s and women’s teams will have their chance to secure a Rio 2016 berth in Auckland, New Zealand on November 14 and 15, and on the same weekend the African men’s qualifier will be staged in Johannesburg.

The series of regional Olympic qualification tournaments then concludes in the Japanese capital of Tokyo from November 28 to 29, and more details on the repechage competition will be confirmed by December 31.

“Rugby sevens, with its winning blend of high-octane action, close competition and entertainment, is proving a hit with young audiences, broadcasters and commercial partners around the world,” Lapasset added.

“This is why we believe that Rio will love sevens and we look forward to hosting fans in an exceptional arena at the very heart of the Deodoro complex where fans will experience the dynamic athleticism of our rugby sevens Olympians in a unique festival atmosphere.”

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IT’S FAIR COMMENT to say that when the UWI Games get underway in TT on May 21, the hosts campus will be hard-pressed to turn home advantage into victory. While not impossible, the odds are clearly against them. One has to look further back than the last three editions to find St Augustine top of the heap, and that fact is not lost on any of the campus squads preparing for the event, among which is the Women’s Volleyball outfit.

Trinidad and Tobago may boast of having the top national women’s volleyball team in the English-speaking Caribbean, but the records are not so flattering for St Augustine at the UWI Games. The women’s title has eluded them in recent times; Mona Campus took it in TT 2009, the hosts Cave Hill did so in 2011 and repeated as women’s champions at Mona in 2013.

Macsood Ali, the long-standing St Augustine women’s coach, could not immediately recall their last victory. “Over the years, we win some and we normally come second,” he told Newsday. “We never really come third.” Ali has been a national coach since 1992; he is head coach at El Socorro-based Glamorgan and he also coaches a number of secondary school teams, as well as the St Augustine campus squad.

Fine-tuning for this month’s campaign was moved to the Eastern Credit Union La Joya auditorium, as the UWI Sports and Physical Education Centre (UWI-SPEC) facility is booked for campus examinations.

Exams are also playing havoc with their sessions, but the players are quite upbeat in spite of all the challenges. Shushanna Marshall, an outside-hitter, says they make adjustments as necessary. “Some of the players aren’t here right now, but we understand that education is priority. You would like everyone to come out, but at vital times, once we have a setter and you have the outside attackers like myself, Avi and Mershawna, who’s also a libero, it works.”

Marshall, a 25-year-old Masters student in Agri Safety & Quality Assurance, has developed rapidly as a player since taking up the sport eight years ago; she was a member of the team that finished runners-up at Mona in 2013, and recently captained Glamorgan in the Super League.

Avoni Seymour, a Bahamian national team player is another the team will rely heavily on. “I understand some of the girls are new, but some of them are really good, like Shushanna.” An outside-hitter and defensive specialist, Avoni says she enjoys helping her less-experienced teammates. One of three players who are studying medicine, she says that by means of time management, the sport is an asset in her academic pursuits. “I love sports in general, but I focus my time on my schooling and my part-time job at the university, as well as training for volleyball; and volleyball is also a stress reliever for me so I use it to help balance off my schooling with my job.”

The team also includes two players who have represented TT at junior international level. Assisted by his son Saleem, a former national Men’s player, Coach Ali says they basically work on every aspect of the game. “Physical fitness, drills, then probably one part of the game you want to work on, maybe tonight, middle-blocking; you work on parts of the game you think you’re weak in, and try to develop all aspects.”

If they can pull it off, victory would go a long way towards St Augustine taking the title of champion Campus.

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